System and method for manufacturing chewing gum

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for manufacturing chewing gum, the method including feeding one or more gum ingredients including at least an elastomer into a continuous extruder including a plurality of screws, rotating screws and mixing the one or more ingredients via the rotating of the screws within the continuous extruder, forming a partial chewing gum base via the mixing of the one or more ingredients, creating a flow of the partial chewing gum base including the one or more ingredients through the continuous extruder towards a downstream extent of the plurality of screws via the rotating, and conveying the flow of the partial chewing gum base to a region of the continuous extruder that is proximate the downstream extent of the plurality of screws, wherein the flow includes a temperature of less than 90 degrees Celsius when the flow reaches the downstream extent of the plurality of screws. Some independent claims relate to a flow reaching two different temperatures that are within 20 degrees Celsius. Some independent claims relate to systems comprising extruders having at least three screws. Some independent claims relate to methods for making chewing gums comprising among others the step of feeding an elastomer into a planetary roller extruder.

1 . A method for manufacturing chewing gum, the method comprising:
 feeding one or more gum ingredients including at least an elastomer into a continuous extruder including a plurality of screws;   rotating said plurality of screws and mixing said one or more ingredients via said rotating of said plurality of screws within said continuous extruder;   forming an at least partial chewing gum base via said mixing of said one or more ingredients;   creating a flow of said at least partial chewing gum base including said one or more ingredients through said continuous extruder towards a downstream extent of said plurality of screws via said rotating; and   conveying said flow of said at least partial chewing gum base to a region of said continuous extruder that is proximate said downstream extent of said plurality of screws, wherein said flow includes a temperature of less than 90 degrees Celsius when said flow reaches said downstream extent of said plurality of screws.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said a region of said continuous extruder that is proximate said downstream extent of said plurality of screws is an outlet of said continuous  1  extruder, the method further including extruding said flow of said at least partial chewing gum from said outlet at a temperature of less than 90 degrees C. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further including transporting said flow of said at least partial chewing gum base from said downstream extent of said plurality of screws to a downstream processing device, said transporting occurring absent any heat removal from the at least partial chewing gum base via a heat exchanging device disposed separately of said continuous extruder. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further including masticating and plasticizing said elastomer via said mixing within said continuous extruder, wherein said masticating and plasticizing of said elastomer via said mixing occurs at at most 140 degrees Celsius within said extruder. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said continuous extruder is a planetary roller extruder including a temperature controlled outer barrel and a temperature controlled central shaft, said temperature controlled outer barrel and said temperature controlled central shaft delimiting a flow annulus,
 wherein said plurality of screws are disposed within said flow annulus, and said creating of said flow occurring within said flow annulus between said plurality of screws, said central shaft, and an inner wall of said barrel.   
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of screws is at least three screws. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , further including rotating said central shaft at at least 50 RPM. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said extruding of said flow of said at least partial chewing gum base occurs at at least 50 Kg/hr. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further including inputting less than 0.2 KWH/KG for achieving said extruding at at least 50 Kg/hr. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said flow of said at least partial chewing gum base is substantially absent unmixed or un-masticated elastomer particulates upon said extruding from said continuous extruder. 
     
     
         14 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . A method for manufacturing chewing gum, the method comprising:
 feeding one or more gum ingredients including at least an elastomer into a continuous extruder including a plurality of screws;   rotating said plurality of screws and mixing said one or more ingredients via said rotating of said plurality screws within said continuous extruder;   forming an at least partial chewing gum base via said mixing of said one or more ingredients;   creating a flow of said at least partial chewing gum base including said one or more ingredients through said continuous extruder towards a downstream extent of said plurality of screws via said rotating;   conveying said flow of said at least partial chewing gum base to a region of said continuous extruder that is proximate said downstream extent of said plurality of screws, wherein said flow of said at least partial chewing gum includes a first temperature when said flow reaches said region that is proximate said downstream extent of said plurality of screws;   transporting said flow of said at least partial chewing gum base from said downstream extent of said plurality of screws to a downstream processing device, said flow of said at least partial chewing gum base reaching said downstream processing device at a second temperature; and   wherein said second temperature of said flow is within 20 degrees Celsius of said first temperature of said flow upon said reaching of said downstream processing device.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said a region of said continuous extruder that is proximate said downstream extent of said plurality of screws is an outlet of said continuous extruder, and said transporting of said flow includes an extruding of said flow from said outlet of said continuous extruder. 
     
     
         32 - 43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 - 58 . (canceled) 
     
     
         59 . A system for manufacturing chewing gum, the system comprising:
 a gum ingredient source including at least elastomer;   a continuous extruder configured to receive said elastomer from said gum ingredient source, said continuous extruder including at least three screws, said continuous extruder and said at least three screws being configured to mix and convey a flow of at least partial chewing gum base including at least said elastomer to a region of said continuous extruder that is proximate a downstream extent of said at least three screws,   wherein said continuous extruder is configured to convey said flow of said at least partial chewing gum base to said region of said continuous extruder such that said flow arrives at said region at a temperature of less than 90 degrees C.   
     
     
         60 . The system of  claim 59 , wherein said continuous extruder is a planetary roller extruder including a temperature controlled outer barrel and a temperature controlled central shaft, said temperature controlled outer barrel and said temperature controlled central shaft delimiting a flow annulus including said at least three screws. 
     
     
         61 - 76 . (canceled) 
     
     
         77 . A system for manufacturing chewing gum, the system comprising:
 a gum ingredient source including at least elastomer; a continuous extruder configured to receive said elastomer from said gum ingredient source, said continuous extruder including at least three screws, said continuous extruder and said at least three screws being configured to mix and convey a flow of at least partial chewing gum base including at least said elastomer to a region of said continuous extruder that is proximate a downstream extent of said at least three screws,   a means for transporting said flow of said at least partial chewing gum base from said region of said continuous extruder to a downstream processing device, said downstream processing device being configured to process said flow of said at least partial chewing gum base in a desirable manner,   wherein said continuous extruder is configured such that said flow of said at least partial chewing gum base is conveyed from said region of said continuous extruder at a first temperature and arrives at said downstream processing device at a second temperature, said second temperature being maintained within 20 degrees of said first temperature during transportation of said flow of said at least partial chewing gum base from said region of said continuous extruder to said downstream processing device.   
     
     
         78 . The system of  claim 77 , wherein said continuous extruder is a planetary roller extruder including a temperature controlled outer barrel and a temperature controlled central shaft, said temperature controlled outer barrel and said temperature controlled central shaft delimiting a flow annulus including said at least three screws. 
     
     
         79 - 94 . (canceled) 
     
     
         95 . A method for manufacturing chewing gum, the method comprising:
 providing a planetary roller extruder with at least a first barrel section and a second barrel section;   feeding at least an elastomer into said planetary roller extruder;   masticating said elastomer in said first barrel section, and transporting said elastomer to said second barrel section;   feeding at least one additional ingredient into said second barrel section; and   mixing said elastomer and said at least one additional ingredient in said second barrel section.   
     
     
         96 . (canceled) 
     
     
         97 . The method of  claim 95 , wherein said elastomer and said at least one additional ingredient comprise a finished gum base. 
     
     
         98 - 102 . (canceled) 
     
     
         103 . The method of claim  102 , further including providing at least a third barrel section with said planetary roller extruder, wherein said elastomer and said at least one additional ingredient comprise a finished chewing gum base, the method further including:
 transporting said finished chewing gum base from said second barrel section to said third barrel section,   feeding at least one subsequent ingredient into said third barrel section, and   mixing said finished chewing gum base and said at least one subsequent ingredient in said third barrel section to form a finished chewing gum.   
     
     
         104 - 107 . (canceled) 
     
     
         108 . A method for manufacturing gum, the method comprising:
 providing a planetary roller extruder including a cylinder with an inner cylinder wall and a central shaft with an outer shaft surface, said inner cylinder wall and said central shaft delimiting a mixing annulus;   providing a plurality of planetary screws within said mixing annulus;   feeding one or more gum ingredients including at least an elastomer into said planetary roller extruder;   rotating said plurality of screws and mixing said one or more ingredients via said rotating of said plurality screws within said planetary roller extruder;   masticating said elastomer via said mixing;   forming an at least partial chewing gum base via said mixing and said masticating;   creating a flow of said at least partial chewing gum base including said one or more ingredients through said planetary roller extruder towards a downstream extent of said plurality of screws via said rotating;   controlling a temperature of said outer shaft surface via a temperature control system within said central shaft;   controlling a temperature of said inner cylinder wall via a temperature control system within said barrel; and   controlling temperature of said flow of said at least partial chewing gum base via contact between said flow of said at least partial chewing gum base and said cylinder wall and contact between said flow of said at least partial chewing gum base and said outer shaft surface.   
     
     
         109 - 113 . (canceled) 
     
     
         114 . The method of  claim 108 , wherein said at least partial chewing gum base is a finished chewing gum base formed via said mixing and said masticating of said plurality of ingredients, the method further including:
 feeding at least one subsequent gum ingredient into said planetary roller extruder downstream of said masticating;   mixing said finished chewing gum base with said at least one subsequent ingredient via within said mixing annulus to form a finished chewing gum; and   extruding said finished chewing gum.   
     
     
         115 - 117 . (canceled) 
     
     
         118 . A method for manufacturing chewing gum, the method comprising:
 providing a planetary roller extruder including a cylinder with an inner cylinder wall and a central shaft with an outer shaft surface, said inner cylinder wall and said central shaft delimiting a mixing annulus;   providing a plurality of planetary screws within said mixing annulus;   feeding at least one first gum ingredient including an at least partially masticated elastomer into said planetary roller extruder;   rotating said plurality of screws and mixing said at least one first gum ingredient within said planetary roller extruder;   creating a flow of said at least one first gum ingredient through said planetary roller extruder towards a downstream extent of said plurality of screws via said rotating;   feeding at least one second gum ingredient into said planetary roller extruder;   mixing said at least one first gum ingredient with said at least one second gum ingredient via said plurality of screws within said mixing annulus to form a finished chewing gum; and   extruding said finished chewing gum.   
     
     
         119 - 125 . (canceled) 
     
     
         126 . A method for manufacturing chewing gum, the method comprising:
 feeding at least one first gum ingredient including an elastomer into a continuous extruder including a plurality of screws and a central shaft;   feeding at least one second gum ingredient into said continuous extruder;   rotating said plurality of screws and mixing said at least one first gum ingredient and said at least one second gum ingredient via said rotating of said plurality of screws within said continuous extruder;   forming a finished chewing gum via said mixing of said at least one first and said at least one second gum ingredients; and   creating a flow of said finished chewing gum including said at least one first and said at least one second gum ingredients through said continuous extruder towards a downstream extent of said plurality of screws via said rotating,   wherein said mixing of said at least one first and said at least one second gum ingredients, said forming of said finished chewing gum, and said conveying of said finished chewing gum occurs via a rotating of at least said central shaft or at least one of said plurality of screws at less than 120 RPM.   
     
     
         127 . The method of  claim 126 , wherein said elastomer is at least partially masticated prior to said feeding of said at least one first gum ingredient. 
     
     
         128 . The method of  claim 126 , wherein said conveying of said finished chewing gum occurs via a rotating of at least said central shaft or at least one of said plurality of screws at 60-70 RPM.